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\ / Charles Spurgeon's MORNING & EVENING
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Monday, July 7, 2008
MORNING:
"Brethren, pray for us."
-- 1 Thessalonians 5:25
This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader's memory
upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly
implore every Christian household to grant the fervent request of the
text first uttered by an apostle and now repeated by us. Brethren, our
work is solemnly momentous, involving weal or woe to thousands; we
treat with souls for God on eternal business, and our word is either a
savour of life unto life, or of death unto death. A very heavy
responsibility rests upon us, and it will be no small mercy if at the
last we be found clear of the blood of all men. As officers in Christ's
army, we are the especial mark of the enmity of men and devils; they
watch for our halting, and labour to take us by the heels. Our sacred
calling involves us in temptations from which you are exempt, above all
it too often draws us away from our personal enjoyment of truth into a
ministerial and official consideration of it. We meet with many knotty
cases, and our wits are at a non plus; we observe very sad
backslidings, and our hearts are wounded; we see millions perishing,
and our spirits sink. We wish to profit you by our preaching; we desire
to be blest to your children; we long to be useful both to saints and
sinners; therefore, dear friends, intercede for us with our God.
Miserable men are we if we miss the aid of your prayers, but happy are
we if we live in your supplications. You do not look to us but to our
Master for spiritual blessings, and yet how many times has He given
those blessings through His ministers; ask then, again and again, that
we may be the earthen vessels into which the Lord may put the treasure
of the gospel. We, the whole company of missionaries, ministers, city
missionaries, and students, do in the name of Jesus beseech you
"BRETHREN, PRAY FOR US."
EVENING:
"When I passed by thee, I said unto thee, Live."
-- Ezekiel 16:6
Saved one, consider gratefully this mandate of mercy. Note that this
fiat of God is majestic. In our text, we perceive a sinner with nothing
in him but sin, expecting nothing but wrath; but the eternal Lord
passes by in his glory; he looks, he pauses, and he pronounces the
solitary but royal word, "Live." There speaks a God. Who but he could
venture thus to deal with life and dispense it with a single syllable?
Again, this fiat is manifold. When he saith "Live," it includes many
things. Here is judicial life. The sinner is ready to be condemned, but
the mighty One saith, "Live," and he rises pardoned and absolved. It is
spiritual life. We knew not Jesus-our eyes could not see Christ, our
ears could not hear his voice-Jehovah said "Live," and we were
quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Moreover, it includes
glory-life, which is the perfection of spiritual life. "I said unto
thee, Live:" and that word rolls on through all the years of time till
death comes, and in the midst of the shadows of death, the Lord's voice
is still heard, "Live!" In the morning of the resurrection it is that
self-same voice which is echoed by the arch-angel, "Live," and as holy
spirits rise to heaven to be blest for ever in the glory of their God,
it is in the power of this same word, "Live." Note again, that it is an
irresistible mandate. Saul of Tarsus is on the road to Damascus to
arrest the saints of the living God. A voice is heard from heaven and a
light is seen above the brightness of the sun, and Saul is crying out,
"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" This mandate is a mandate of free
grace. When sinners are saved, it is only and solely because God will
do it to magnify his free, unpurchased, unsought grace. Christians, see
your position, debtors to grace; show your gratitude by earnest,
Christlike lives, and as God has bidden you live, see to it that you
live in earnest.
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Morning & Evening is the classic devotional by 19th-century writer
and preacher Charles Spurgeon. It's part of HEARTLIGHT Magazine,
the leading Christian living e-zine on the Web. Visit HEARTLIGHT
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